Friday, December 21, 2007

The New Year

As the new year approaches, everyone starts talking about resolutions and all of the things they will do different come January 1st. They want to get a fresh start, try yet again to give up a bad habit, or vow to be a better person.

Oddly, I have never given into the hype. Maybe I'm too lazy to change something about myself, or maybe I'm just realistic and know that there is little to no chance of someone carrying out a resolution from January 1st through December 31st of the following year.

This year, someone got me interested in a new tradition. It doesn't have to be New Years to start this, but it is as good a time as any. I am compiling a list of 100 Things to do before I die. It will range from small things to big, and the time limit to complete all of these things is a lifetime. With 100 items it will give you satisfaction in being able to cross things off often, but at the same time you will need to work hard for some of the more difficult items on the list.

It really isn't easy compiling a list of 100 things you want to do though. I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I'm still sitting at only 14 things on my list, but I'm going to keep working on it until I have 100.

Actually saying that I have 14 things on my list is sort of cheating. Two items on the list I have already completed. But, I thought they were so important in my life, that they should be on the list, even if I've already completed them.

So I'm going to bend the rules a little and say, why not put things on there you've already completed? Afterall, it's a lifetime list and if you've completed something amazing in your lifetime, it deserves to be on there.

So, are you ready for my list? . . . . here is what I have so far:




100 Things To Do Before I Die

1. Get married √

2. Have children

3. Start my own business √

4. Write a novel

5. Get my novel published

6. Host a family reunion

7. Take a cooking class

8. Take a dance class with my husband

9. Make a difference in someone’s life

10. Organize and lead a volunteer effort for a worthy cause

11. Go to/Visit Australia

12. Visit my family in Texas

13. Pay off debt

14. Pay my mom back somehow, for being a wonderful mother

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Getting Engaged

Operation get Nik and Megan married was a success. Not because my family was so darn convincing, lol, but luckily for me, it was because Nik didn’t need convincing. All he needed was a little time and money.

He looked at rings for months, even before he had enough money to get one. Finally, when he found the right ring and the price was right, he bought it.

Having the ring was only the first step for him. First he called my parents individually and asked for my hand in marriage (how sweet!!), then he tucked the ring away in a safe place and he waited for the right moment.

He wanted everything to be perfect, but he couldn’t figure out how or when he should propose. So he waited . . .

In the meantime, I kept getting these weird phone calls from my mom. She would say “Anything going on?” or “Do you have anything to tell me?” in a very suspicious way. I didn’t suspect that Nik was about to pop the question, but I did think something weird was going on. Maybe my mom was going crazy, I wasn’t sure, but I knew it wasn’t normal.

In the end, I’m glad no one tipped me off. And let me tell you, my mom is the worst person to tell a secret to! I’m honestly surprised the second she hung up the phone with Nik, she didn’t call me and say “I have something REALLY big to tell you!!”

So, clueless as I was, one day I was coming home from work in the city (NYC). It was an orange alert day and the commute was a nightmare. When I got home I was so worn out that I fell asleep on the couch. A couple of hours later Nik bursts into the apartment calling out my name, then “Where have you been?! Why haven’t you answered your phone!!! I’ve been so worried about you. I thought something happened to you!”

I guess after 9-11, when you work in the city, people are bound to get worried about you if you don’t answer your phone for a couple of hours. Well, I reassured Nik that I was fine, apologized, and told him I had fallen asleep. I was so sorry I worried him.

Something about that scare jolted him. It hit him right there, he realized that the time was right to ask me to marry him. If something had happened to me, he would have missed the chance, all because he was waiting for the perfect moment. No more waiting, he decided. So, he went to get the ring.

I don’t really remember what he said. It was something to the effect of, I have something to ask you. It’s all kind of a blur. But, I do remember that as soon as I saw the box, I said “No way!! That box is empty right? You’re just joking right?” He was known for trying to pull one over on me (and everyone else, for that matter), so it wouldn’t have been far fetched. I guess as much as I wanted it to happen, I just couldn’t believe it was actually happening at that moment, in our living room.

Nik got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I jumped up and screamed YES, with excitement. I didn’t cry, although I was pretty surprised about that, but I had a smile plastered across my face for days.

That was definitely the first “happiest day of my life” and lucky for me, “the happiest day of my life” has continued with our wedding day and hopefully one day, it will continue with the birth of our children.

Operation – Get Nik and Megan married

So Nik and I had lived together for about two years. We were in a new apartment, we both had good jobs, and we had been together for about five or six years. Marriage was something brought up quite often. Nik got grilled from my parents, my siblings, and any other family member that could get a word in.

It wasn’t so much that they wanted to pressure him, or that they felt like it was just about time that we tied the knot, I think it was more about the fact that they all loved him and they wanted to secure him in their lives for themselves.

You know how women want to get married so that they have their man committed and can declare them theirs forever? Well, I think that is what my family was doing. They wanted a commitment out of him, they wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to walk out on THEM.

I swear my family loves him more than they love me. It’s obvious that if we were ever to break up, they’d have a broken heart just like me. So trying to push Nik into marriage was the only way they could make sure Nik wasn’t going anywhere.

After all, if he didn’t marry me, who was going to make jokes at the dinner table? Who was going to get everyone drunk and dance around to music we wouldn’t be caught dead listening to (think Backstreet boys and Nsync). Who is going to cheer my sister up when she is feeling down (he is the only one capable of this!), who is going to convince all of the family to get together and party at home instead of hanging out with friends, who would be the glue that kept us all together? Nik had to stay!

And so, operation, get Nik and Megan married began! Hey, I couldn’t complain, I wanted to get married :-)

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Moving In

After coming back home and transferring to a school nearby, things between me and Nik began to grow stronger. That is – after the bumpy start.

Every time we saw each other we grew to be just a little more comfortable. Then, eventually, everything just seemed right.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, until one day we were moving in together.

I have to say, Nik didn’t exactly do it willingly though. One minute he was going to move in, the next he wasn’t, then he was looking at apartments with me, and then I was moving in alone.

Emotionally and financially, his decision hurt me. Since he spent all of his time there anyway, I started laying the guilt on real thick. “Why should I pay for all of the bills, when you practically live here too?” Well, push came to shove and not even two months after I moved in solo, he joined me.

Did I feel guilty? Nope! :-) But, I have to admit it was nice to hear (about a year later) directly from his lips, that moving in with me was the best decision he ever made. Can you believe a GUY actually said that! Of course he denied it later in public . . . typical! But, yes he did admit it to me and I have to say that those words made me realize that guilting him into moving in with me was the right thing to do for our relationship.

Most people say that you don’t know someone until you live with them. Many people also say that the first year living with a significant other, is the hardest. I have to say though, that in our case, that didn’t apply.

Of course I spent a lot of time yelling at him because he used a new towel every day, and always left the wet one on the floor. I yelled that he couldn’t pick up after himself and that he never wanted to help with garbage or god forbid – the dishes!

But, it didn’t phase either of us. Why? I don’t know, maybe because we were just meant to be together. Maybe there is nothing wrong with a little fighting in a relationship. After all, aren’t there hundreds of couples breaking up because they have no passion, they feel stuck or bored? I don’t think we’ll ever have that problem. We certainly didn’t have to look outside the home to find a little excitement in our lives.

So, no, that first year wasn’t hard at all. But, the second year . . well, it was hard for him. I’m pretty sure it was my bright idea to get Nik a job where I worked. Actually, it might have been his idea, but I know I didn’t discourage it.

Soon, we were together every minute of every day. We drove to work together, we worked 9 long hours together – in the same room no less, we drove home together, and we lived every other second of the day at home together.

It actually didn’t bother me. But, boy did it bother Nik! I guess I’m just not so great when you can’t get a break from me, lol.

Luckily we fixed that problem and eventually we both got different jobs.

And that’s where I leave you for today.

Happy Holidays! Please come back soon and read my next blog entry! Next time I’ll try to get some more pictures up here. It is, afterall, suppose to be a photo blog. :-)

Friday, November 16, 2007

Poetry Corner

My Dad just sent me this poem that he wrote and I just had to post it.
Tell me what you think . . .



Bill Gates is my hero


but, I hate today’s technology
(just a minute while I shut off my cell)
this computer we bought has too
many glitches
(but a slammin’ screen)
Walmart has 64 inch blue ray tv’s
with t-vo hooked
(did you see that play!!!! unbelieveable)
I mean does anyone have one on one
conversation anymore,
After all, who is on your five,
and I just can’t figure out this damn mp4
ubiquitous subway accessory
(where did I put my daughter’s)
What happened to the boom box?
I saw a guy in tears the other day,
seems his blackberry got stepped on
(hahahahahahahahaha!)
wonder if he got screwed up with the time
change
My clock, preset
decided it was time to switch off
from daylight saving
A WEEK EARLY.
All I know is, we need to, like
slow down and smell the double espresso
(while hearing everyone else’s ringtones)
either that or play a mean game of Halo
(or guitar hero)
next thing you know,
they’ll come up with a car
that can park itself!

mh 11/07

I’m thankful this holiday season . . . let’s get off track a little

I don’t want to get too sappy here. That’s definitely not me. But, I feel like I have to recognize how lucky I am. My life is good. It isn’t the “I just won the lottery” good and I certainly could write a book on the crappy things about my life, but overall it really is good.

I’ve been struggling with finances for years now and as everyone knows, money problems really have a way of bringing a person down. I don’t know if this feeling is temporary or not, but I feel like right now money just doesn’t matter. The fact that I can even think those words right before Christmas is truly amazing, but it is true.

Even though I have an endless number of bills to pay, I have spent over a thousand dollars in vet bills in the last month alone, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get out of debt, I am still very happy with my life.

I think my husband was the last piece of the puzzle. Well, no, that isn’t exactly true. Our baby will be the last piece of the puzzle. That is, when we finally have one. We hope we won’t have to wait much longer. In the meantime, I am enjoying my wonderful husband, amazing family, great job, heart warming dogs, and very rewarding business. What more could a girl ask for?

Did I forget friends? Not exactly. It’s true that I have more than one friendship “on the rocks” at the moment. That really sucks. But, what can I do? I’ve tried to patch things up and it just hasn’t worked, so I’m moving on. I have two best friends that I love and trust enough to put my life in their hands. With them and a handful of other good friends, that’s really all I need right now.

I don’t know what has come over me. I’m normally a very pessimistic person and this is all way out of left field. Lately I just feel like if I don’t get this out, I’m going to loose it. So, here it is and I hope it lasts as long as possible!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Reunited and it feels so, well – not so good

And now, back to our story . . . .

So I made the jump. I transferred from my college 1000 miles away, to a less prestigious college within 15 minutes of where Nik and my family lived. I went from living in a nice suite with my best friend and two other great women, to living back at home with my mom and step dad. Although it wasn’t the best move, I never regretted it and I never looked back.

When I finally got settled in at home, I was looking forward to finally being in the same zip code as Nik. But things seemed a bit weird between us. It wasn’t the same as when we were talking on the phone everyday and talking online. I realized the transition wasn’t going to be easy.

I think it was because 1000 miles protected us from the awkwardness and insecurity of a new relationship. Once we had been brought back together it didn’t really matter that we had dated for two years. It didn’t matter that we knew each other so very well because we told each other everything in those two years. What did matter was that we had little to no experience face to face, as more than friends.

It really didn’t help that Nik was shy with girls and I was just shy in general. We were trying to figure out how to be alone together, because that was something we almost never did. Then, when we were with our friends, we had to figure out how to be in a relationship without falling out of our friendships. Everything just seemed so backwards.

Normally you get to know each other as a group, spend time alone together, spend time as a couple with your friends, and then slowly learn about each other and grow your feelings for one another. In this case, we had our feelings. We had already fallen in love, but we never did those beginning steps and it was difficult to go back.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Megan and Nik Pictures

Sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I’ve been busy and haven’t felt creative enough to write. I still haven’t been inspired, but I thought it would be nice to get some more pictures up. So, here are some pictures from those first few years when Nik and I were dating.




This picture was taken at my step brothers high school graduation party. As you can see, Nik had his eye brow pierced at this time. No one that knows him even remembers he had it, because it was very short lived. He got a job only a couple of months after getting it pierced, and they required that he take it out. Unfortunately the indent of a hole is still there, even now, but it is very small and hardly noticeable.




This is us at Great Adventure one year. We use to go a lot! We had season passes pretty much every other year for 6 or 7 years.



This is us on my 21st birthday.








Here we are all dressed up for formal night on a cruise to the Bahamas. We went with my family and it was one of the best vacations we have been on. Free and unlimited food whenever we want? Who wouldn’t like that!




Another picture from Great Adventure. Here we are on Rolling Thunder.




Here we are just hanging out at home with my family.


Ok, that’s it for now. I’ll try to write again soon.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Getting out of the Friend Zone

High school was over, forever, and we had a long summer ahead of us. It was time to do whatever we wanted, and to take advantage of what might never be the same.

I was looking forward to packing up and moving. I was anxious to start college. But, before leaving I was going to spend every last minute with my friends. And I did.

In my town, there was nothing for us to do, no excitement to be found. We didn’t even have a movie theater and the hottest spot in town was the park. If we wanted excitement, we had to make it.

Since I had my car that summer, we spent most of our time driving around, and that is actually what we called it, “driving around”. Driving around, we had control, we had freedom. We could go anywhere. And anywhere we went.

Nik and I spent a lot of time together that summer. That was the summer for us. That’s when we began to move from friends to more than that. It was a very slow process, but as the summer went on, more and more we hoped it wouldn’t end.



But it did end, and although it was difficult to leave him, I did it anyway and I headed off to college 1000 miles away. It was a new beginning for me in college, and yet also a new beginning for me with Nik.

We began a sort of unspoken relationship while I was in college. We talked online everyday, even several times a day. We got closer than we ever had been while we were living in the same city. We were able to tell each other anything and everything.

What happened over time was that we were finally able to transition out of just being friends. We had both felt how difficult that was while I was home, but somehow being 1000 miles apart just made it so much easier.

There is a popular song out now, “Hey there Delilah” by the Plain White T’s that reminds me of that part in my life. It makes me remember and appreciate what we were going through at that time in our lives. It’s a great song and it really speaks to me.

Looking back, I know those years away at college were important for us. It was a time for us to grow up on our own, and grow together without the two interfering. I don’t know if we would have ended up together if I hadn’t gone away together. We might have never gotten out of the friend zone.

“Hey there Delilah” reminded me how important that time in my life was. Sure, it was painful. I hated being away from Nik. I’m sure if I heard that song at the time, I would be crying over the lyrics. But, now I can look back and remember those times with fond memories.

Do you have any songs that speak to you? Are there any songs out there that remind you of your relationship? I’d like to hear from you, so come on, don’t be shy!



PLAIN WHITE T'S LYRICS

"Hey There Delilah"

Hey there Delilah
What's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away
But girl tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true

Hey there Delilah
Don't you worry about the distance
I'm right there if you get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice it's my disguise
I'm by your side

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me
Hey there Delilah
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me girl
Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar
We'll have it good
We'll have the life we knew we would
My word is good

Hey there Delilah
I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall
We'd have it all

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me

A thousand miles seems pretty far
But they've got planes and trains and cars
I'd walk to you if I had no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
and we'll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have felt this way
Delilah I can promise you
That by the time we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you're to blame

Hey there Delilah
You be good and don't you miss me
Two more years and you'll be done with school
And I'll be making history like I do
You'll know it's all because of you
We can do whatever we want to
Hey there Delilah here's to you
This ones for you

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

High School


Am I the only one that didn’t like high school? I mean, it’s not like I was miserable or anything. It wasn’t bad, but I am glad that that part of my life is behind me.

I went to a high school with about 2,000 students. There was actually traffic in the halls, trying to get from class to class. I guess for an outgoing person, it was probably a great experience. There is always someone new around the corner, always the possibility of a new activity, a new class, a new friend to be made.

For me, it was living with the discomfort of the unknown. I graduated with 300 people and at a guess I’ll say that 200 of them were complete strangers. When I got my diploma I wasn’t feeling that I was leaving anything or anyone behind. I only wanted to move on and get out of that school. Maybe that was just because I’ve always felt a push from the inside to move forward. I didn’t cry at graduation like the other kids, and I didn’t regret anything either. I was ready and eager to kiss goodbye those classmates and move out of the state and into college.

I must admit though, my senior year was pretty great. I was involved in all of the activities that I enjoyed most. Since I had already gotten into college, the pressure was off, and I was able to let loose a bit more. We didn’t have a lot of required classes for senior year, so I took what interested me most. I had a poetry class that I loved and every morning I had volleyball for my gym requirement.

Nik and a handful of my other friends were in that class. We actually took it before school started. Zero period, they called it. I still don’t know why we were crazy enough to get up so early and start school before everyone else, but we did. It was more like social hour than actual gym class though.

We would talk about the weekend, either how great it was or how great it will be. We would make plans for after school or talk about the latest gossip, and all of this while hitting the volleyball back and forth.

I can’t say I am a good volleyball player, but I know those classes were valuable to me. They gave me a good start to every day. Shouldn’t we all have a little time with our friends before we have to face the world? Those were the days when it was easy, in fact it was expected, to see your friends every day. Those were the days when you didn’t want to miss school unless it was to hang out with your friends outside of school. That was the good part of high school. That is what I miss.

What do you miss about high school? What do you remember most?

Monday, September 17, 2007

Ok, let's start from the beginning

I met my husband, Nik, while we were in high school. We went to the same school, but I was in a grade above him. My best friend, Danah, was in his grade, so ultimately that is how I met him. There was a big group of us back then and we were all good friends. We would hangout in between classes, in some cases during classes, and after school.

I was the first of my friends to get a car. I was very anxious to drive to and from school (even though I only lived a few blocks away), and I was more than happy to give all of my friends a ride. I got into a routine where I'd leave the house about an hour before I had to be at school, just so I could make my rounds and pick up 4 or 5 of my friends. Of course my best friend was on my list and so was Nik.



I wasn't at all embarrassed that the car I was driving was ten years old and ugly as anything.

It was always fun to be able to socialize a little before the day really started. And considering my friends lived very far from school, I'm sure they enjoyed the ride as well.

I must say though, parking was the most annoying part of every morning. Nik just had to give me a hard time about my parallel parking. He couldn't possibly be nice and keep his mouth shut, nope! Even when I'd make the slightest pause, the smallest mistake, or good forbid I had to start over, Nik would tease me to no end! I soon learned that his teasing would never stop, but somehow I'd get use to it.

It was one of those days during that year, that I started to notice Nik as more than just a friend. He hopped into my car one day, smelling amazing from the cologne he had just put on, and I looked into the rear view mirror, seeing him like I'd never seen him before. He was different somehow and I knew that from then on our releationship would be different, even if he didn't know it.

And he wouldn't know it, not for another year or so. I said nothing to him, nor to anyone else. That's not how I did things. I continued our friendship and patiently waited for the day when he would like me.

Years later I would find out that he liked me all along.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Let me introduce myself . . .

Hello.

My name is Megan and I recently got married. Two years of planning was gone in the snap of a finger! I have hundreds of pictures to document the entire process from the engagement party, to possible dresses and decor, to the bridal shower and the actual wedding day.

On my website, http://www.creative-photo-projects.com/ I talk about ways to put pictures to good use. A hobby of mine has always been photo projects and I finally decided to enter into the world of pictures on the web. What better way to get started than a picture blog?

So here goes, from my dogs, to my family, to anything else I have taken a picture of - here is my photo blog. Enjoy!


Here are a few pictures from one of the best days of my life: